The Gifts from the South
by CinnamonDragon
Summary: Aravis is homesick and Cor tries to help, because that's what friends are for.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Aravis is my favourite female character in the series, so a story about her was inevitable. It's not very long but I've divided it into two parts. Enjoy and review ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia.**

The Gifts from the South

part 1

Aravis Tarkheena was not having the best of mornings.

She was homesick. But the worst part was that she couldn't tell anybody about it because nobody would ever understand how she could want to return to a place like Calormen. Well, she didn't exactly want to return there, and certainly not for ever; she just missed some things: the smells; the sounds; small, fairylike palaces hiding among citrus trees; inner courtyards with marble fountains and sparkling, scented water; colourful robes and hair-ornaments of gold and precious stones; even the food. Archenland was a delightful country and it was a better place for her to live in… but was it enough for her? After all Hwin, Bree, even Cor in a way, had longed to return to the land of their birth all their lives. It was such a powerful feeling it drove them on and helped them overcome all obstacles. Could _she_ fight it off, then?

It's not that she wasn't happy at Anvard. She was. She found everything she wished for here: peace, freedom and most importantly kind and caring people. Leaving this place was out of the question, but she couldn't change the fact that part of her heart was left behind in Tisroc's realm.

There was a knock on the door and Cor peeped in shyly.

"Hello, Aravis. I'm sorry to bother you, but you didn't come to breakfast and we were worried that you were unwell,' he said, looking at her questioningly.

"No, I'm fine. I just slept in today. Thank you, Cor," she replied lightly. She couldn't possibly tell him (him, of all people!) that she missed Calormen and wasn't quite happy at Anvard. He was trying really hard to make her feel at home and she didn't want him to know it wasn't working that well.

"Oh, right," he appeared to be at a loss what to say next, but suddenly he came up with an idea, "Shall I bring you your breakfast here, then?"

"Don't you have slaves for that?" It was meant to be a joke, but the word "slaves" ruined it. It just slipped out, probably because she was thinking of Calormen.

"Servants, you mean?" he asked apprehensively, as if he considered correcting her a really bad idea.

"Yes, servants, of course, didn't I say that? I meant to say that," she laughed off her mistake. "Well, anyway, thank you, I'm not really hungry."

"Oh, okay," he was clearly thinking of something else to say. "Would you like to go riding later?"

"No, thank you. I'd rather stay in today. I hope you don't mind?" She wasn't usually that polite with him, but this time she didn't want him to feel bad. He was so sensitive, he could jump to the conclusion that she was angry at him or something. And she most emphatically wasn't. She just felt guilty for thinking about Calormen when she should be as happy as a clam in Archenland and feeling guilty always made her extra nice.

"No, of course not." Her strategy was obviously not working, because Cor's light-hearted tone was clearly fake. Normally she would scoff at him for being such a baby but not today.

"Then I'll see you at dinner," she said warmly, trying to convey with her eyes that it wasn't his fault. This time it worked, because Cor relaxed a little and smiled quite genuinely.

"Have a nice day, Aravis."

"You too, Cor."

After he left, she stopped smiling. There was no way she could have a nice day. Nothing was clear to her anymore and it started being really painful, too. What was she to do? How was she to fight off these feeling of homesickness without going back to Calormen? And even if she did go there for a while, what would she do? She couldn't possibly go home or stay in Tashbaan. And what could one trip to the south change? Was she supposed to travel there every once in a while when she got the blues? That was hardly an option.

In the end she decided the best approach would be to stop thinking about it. Time heals all wounds, right? So with time she should be able to forget, to stop caring and eventually it will not hurt anymore. She would just have to be strong and patient.

At dinner that day she tried to be her usual cheerful self, teasing Cor and laughing at Corin's jokes. She found it quite easy, because their pleasant company made her forget about her trouble. For the next couple of weeks she managed to keep the feelings of homesickness at bay with surprising ease and she was becoming more confident about the whole time-heals-wounds thing. But one day, when they were walking in the woods near the castle and Cor was talking about the preparations for celebrating the anniversary of Archenland's founding, something snapped in her. She just sat down and cried, feeling powerless and frustrated, just like that time when she learned her father wanted her to marry Ahoshta. Cor looked worried sick, having never seen her in such a state, but she managed to convince him she had only hurt her ankle. He helped her return to her room and was so sweet and kind that she felt really bad about lying to him. But it was better that way. Hopefully, in time it would be a thing of the past and there was no need to tell anyone about it. Hopefully.

The next day Aravis got her first gift.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the review and story alerts, they really made my day! I hope you'll enjoy the second part, too. Oh, and by the way, I've decided to divide the story into three parts, not two, so there will be another chapter. Reviews would be really welcome ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia.**

The Gifts from the South

part 2

She was coming down for dinner when she was met by a strangely familiar smell. She stopped on the stairs and breathed in deeply. Yes, there was no mistaking it, she could definitely smell a mix of typical Calormenian spices. But how–? Where–? Was she going mad, imagining things? She hurried to the dining-hall and quickly scanned the table. Yes, it was _biryani_, probably the most common dish in Calormen. It combined meat, rice, vegetables and different kinds of spices. But why was it being served for dinner in Anvard, Archenland? She looked in puzzlement at King Lune and the man smiled at her in return.

"We thought it was high time to broaden our culinary horizons and Cor here suggested trying something of your country's cuisine, Aravis."

Cor shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, it wasn't exactly like that–" he began, but was promptly interrupted by his father.

"Don't listen to him. He is too modest for his own good. Well, I must say this looks delicious, Aravis," he smiled at her, gesturing towards the steaming _biryani_.

"Yes, it does," she replied mechanically and turned her startled gaze to Cor, who was flushing and keeping his eyes on his plate. What was the matter with him?

She was still feeling a little dazed but it didn't stop her from eating two helpings of her favourite dish. _Biryani_ was a big success with everyone else too and King Lune suggested trying other Calormenian recipes and maybe even introducing them to the royal menu. Aravis felt suddenly all warm and fuzzy inside because that was exactly what she wanted: a bit of Calormen in Archenland.

The next bit of Calormen arrived three days later in the form of a small parcel that fell down to the floor when she opened her wardrobe. She unfolded it carefully and saw a burgundy shawl made of finest Calormenian silk. It had a geometrical ornament embroidered with golden thread and when she put it around her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror, she saw it complemented her dark hair rather well. She was never really bothered with clothes but she could appreciate fine things and the shawl was certainly exquisite.

She looked for a note but there was none, which surprised her a little. She asked the servants if they knew anything about it but they all said they had no idea how the parcel got into her room. She wore the shawl to dinner that day and Cor, Corin and King Lune all complimented her on it, but when she asked where it came from, they weren't much help either.

Another three days went by and this time she found by her bed a small table made of olive wood and inlaid with pieces of sandal wood and ivory. The handiwork was quite impressive and she was sure the piece of furniture was made in the famous workshop of Mazhar in Azim Balda. This made it a really valuable gift and she knew that not many people would be able to afford it. And certainly nobody would give it to her on a whim. This narrowed the list of possible suspects to three people, but when she confronted them, they denied everything. King Lune smiled serenely, Corin joked about secret admirers, and Cor said he would ask his father to double the guards to prevent unwanted persons from entering her chambers. She was puzzled but decided to wait another three days to see what would happen next. Would there be another gift waiting in her room?

There was. It was a small book of famous Calormenian myths and legends, bound in embossed leather. She remembered most of these stories from her childhood but she spent the whole day reading them anyway. Cor seemed interested in them too and she told him a few others that weren't included in the volume. She didn't think such small things would be able to lift her spirits but they did and she was eternally grateful to the person who was behind all this gifting.

That's why she felt a little disappointed when she didn't get another present three days later, though she really didn't want to admit that instead of being happy with what she had (and she had a lot), she was grumpy because there were no more gifts. She knew it was really selfish and ungrateful of her, especially when she didn't really deserve them in the first place.

"You're a greedy pig, Ar, that's what you are," she muttered to herself angrily and flopped down on the bed. Only then did she notice an addition to the decoration of the chamber and it left her completely flabbergasted. She got up slowly, went over to the fireplace and stared incredulously at the picture hanging above the mantelpiece. If it was a picture. It looked so real it could just as well be a view from her window. There was before her Tashbaan in all its beauty and glory, with windowpanes of the palace, silver walls of the temple and the river all glistening in the rising sun and the green of the gardens cascading down the slopes of the hill.

There was only one other person in Anvard who had seen Tashbaan from the bank of the river at sunrise, and he admired it so much at the time that she was sure he had remembered every detail perfectly. She felt it was him from the beginning but she didn't have any proof. Now she could finally thank him… But what was the best way to do it?

**A/N: If anyone wondered, **_**biryani **_** is a real dish. According to Wikipedia, it is an Indian dish and its name comes from a Persian word which means "fried" or "roasted". **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, story alerts and favs! It seems not only Aravis got some wonderful gifts ;) I hope you'll like the last part, too. Enjoy and review. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia. **

The Gifts from the South

part 3

Fortunately for Aravis, it was always easy to find Cor. When he was not spending time with her, he was usually in his room or with his father, "honing his royal skills" (only she and Corin used that term, obviously). So she went to his chambers and there he was, immersed in a thick volume about the affairs of state or something equally boring but essential for the future king.

She was so lost in thought, trying to think of the best way to show her gratitude, that she went in without knocking and only realized it when Cor jumped up and his book landed on the floor with a thud.

"Sorry, Cor, didn't mean to startle you," she said apologetically.

"Oh, it's ok, you didn't," he replied quickly and unconvincingly.

"If you say so," she let it go without picking on his feeble lying. There were more important things to talk about. "Well, sorry to bother you, I know you have important things to do, but I just wanted to say that the gifts are wonderful, and thank you so much for them, but that wasn't necessary, and they must have been terribly expensive, and you really shouldn't have–" She paused and grimaced, when she realized she was babbling.

"How did you find out it was me?" he asked resignedly.

"Oh, come on. That picture of Tashbaan? It practically screamed it was you."

Cor looked a little embarrassed and fidgeted uncomfortably.

"But tell me, why did you do it?" she asked suddenly, unable to resist. "I mean, friends give each other presents but usually small ones and only once in a while on special occasions–"

Oh great, she was babbling again. Why was she so nervous? And why was _he_ so nervous? If it was Corin, they would already be laughing and joking. Why didn't she feel as easy around Cor?

"Well, it's a bit complicated," he began after a pause. "You just didn't seem entirely happy. I mean, usually you seemed happy, but then there were times when you were staring into space, sighing. And then that day in the woods–"

"I hurt my ankle," she interrupted quickly, wanting him to stay under the impression that she was tough, and mentally kicking herself for not being able to hide her feelings.

"Aravis, I'm not as stupid as I look," he replied quietly and she saw he was hurt.

"I never said you were–" she protested but he shook his head and she let him continue.

"I felt something was wrong, I just didn't know what it was. So I went to my father and told him everything. He said you probably missed Calormen and I felt he was right. I asked how we could help you and he said–" he hesitated a little, "he said I knew you longest and I was the one who could think of the best way. I had no idea what I could do, so he suggested starting with this _biryani_ for dinner and seeing your reaction. And you looked really pleased, so then I thought maybe we could give you some other bits of Calormen."

Aravis blinked. She thought of the gifts as "bits of Calormen" as well. Now that was strange… but nice, too.

"I told my father and he said he liked the idea and said he would help me get the things I wanted, so then I made a list of things I thought you would like. They were bought from Calormenian traders but the picture was being painted specially and we had to wait for it. So then Corin came up with the idea for these surprises, he said it would be more fun that way. And that's it," he concluded a bit lamely.

Aravis blinked again, trying to process everything she had heard. And then she just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met."

"Well, you haven't met that many people, then," Corin came into the room with a mischievous look on his face.

"Surely somebody had told you that you shouldn't eavesdrop on other people's conversations?" she asked, trying to sound stern but failing miserably, because one couldn't be angry with Corin for long. Besides, she was quite glad of the interruption. Things were getting a bit awkward.

"Oh, but I wasn't eavesdropping, I was just passing by and I thought I would drop in and check on Cor," he grinned. "But I'm too late, it seems. He has already told you everything, hasn't he? Cor, you idiot, I taught you how to lie, didn't I?"

"Oh, don't teach him how to be more like you, Corin," she begged humorously. She couldn't help joking and acting silly whenever the younger prince was around. "If he learns how to tease me back, it won't be such fun."

"But it will be a challenge, Aravis," he replied mockingly, using his favourite "mentor" tone. "If you do not hone your wit by battling with a worthy opponent, young lady, then… Oh, whatever," he added after a pause. "Besides, he's gonna be king, right? And if I don't do something, he's gonna be a lame king, so, you know, it's for the good of the country."

"Yeah, right," muttered Cor, whose face was now beet-root red.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, Cor, but I guess you have to start somewhere." Corin patted his twin on the shoulder. "Well, see you around, kids."

Aravis felt a twinge of guilt when she saw the look on Cor's face after his twin had left the room. Teasing him was fun, but obviously he didn't stand a chance when she and Corin united forces. And he always took everything so seriously…

"Look, Cor, I'm sorry. That's not how I meant to thank you–"

"It doesn't matter," he shrugged and turned away. "I should probably get used to it."

Aravis bit her lip worriedly. What could she say now?

"You know Corin was joking, right?" she asked, trying to dismiss the whole thing as unimportant.

"Last I heard, jokes were supposed to be funny," he replied bitterly, refusing to look at her.

Well, he had a point there.

"Not the bad ones," she laughed nervously, but Cor didn't join in, so she tried tackling it from another angle; "Corin's wrong, you'll make a great king. Look what you've done for me. It shows you're kind, courteous, compassionate, thoughtful, benevolent, considerate–"

"They're all synonyms," he said gruffly.

"Well, I've been expanding my vocabulary lately," she shrugged it off and went back to the original thought; "You're courageous, and smart, and handsome, and you always do the right thing, even if it's the most difficult option, and you saved Archenland from grave danger, and you're the best friend I've ever had, and you've given me the most wonderful presents, and I'll never forget it, and I could kiss you right now, but I won't do that because you'd get all embarrassed, but I'll find a way to repay you, and I'm running out of oxygen, so I'll stop now."

Cor looked slightly taken aback, which was a definite improvement on his earlier miserable expression. Now Aravis was getting embarrassed, so she quickly started talking again:

"So, have a nice day, don't mind Corin, and remember that you're awesome. If anybody says otherwise, they'll really regret it, I promise."

She was halfway out of the room when Cor reacted.

"Aravis!"

"Yes?" she asked uncertainly, feeling more foolish with every passing second.

"I know how you can repay me," he said solemnly.

"Yes? How?"

"Will you help me become a good king?" he asked shyly.

She looked at him for a moment and there was this warm and fuzzy feeling again.

"Sure, Cor. With pleasure."

**The End**

**A/N: I'm afraid Corin was a little mean, but these things had to be said to set up the rest of the scene. I just hope it wasn't too much out of character. **


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